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Dawson McAllister

For 53 years, Dawson answered God's call to be a spokesman to,
and for, the American teenager.
We recently received a voicemail from a woman who was greatly impacted by Dawson as a teenager. Listen to her powerful testimony and join us as we praise God for how Dawson's legacy lives on through TheHopeLine!
IN THE 1970s he pioneered the Dawson McAllister Student Conference, a youth group conference model that over 20 years grew to arena-sized events and resulted in more than a million students learning deep truths about the Kingdom of God.

Hundreds of thousands made decisions to follow Christ.
A man in light blue clothes speaks into a microphone, gesturing toward a large seated audience in an indoor venue. The crowd appears attentive and engaged.
A man with curly hair and a mustache speaks into a microphone while wearing headphones. He is dressed in a light-colored shirt and appears to be in a radio studio. The image is black and white with torn edges.
In 1991, God gave Dawson and his team a new opportunity: To reach young people through Christian radio. 

Starting on five stations, his call-in talk show, Dawson McAllister Live! (DMLive), grew to 250 stations. 

In 1994 it was voted National Religious Broadcasters’ Talk Show of the Year.
While the reach of radio was startling, more was needed to rescue young people from their deep dilemmas.
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In late 1991, Dawson founded TheHopeLine - an off-air rescue line where more than 1.2 million one-on-one conversations have provided emotional and spiritual triage for students and young adults who were struggling with everything from addiction to despair.  Since 2010, TheHopeLine's Hope Coaches have also handled more than 30,000 suicide interventions.  In addition, Dawson and his team have built a Christian community of care, making tens of thousands of annual referrals to nearly 20 trusted partners.
A circular logo with DM in bold letters at the center. The red border reads DAWSON MCALLISTER LIVE! repeatedly in white uppercase text.

"Welcome to Dawson McAllister LIVE, the Sunday night show that changes everything."

In 2005, God led Dawson to pioneer once again by creating a Top 40 version of Dawson McAllister Live! It began airing on Top 40 stations in January 2006 and aired nationwide for more than 10 years, delivering “clear thinking and right values” to hundreds of thousands each week.

A man wearing headphones and a microphone speaks into a console in a radio studio, with thehopeline and Dawson McAllister banners in the background.

Mission Accomplished.

In 2020, after 53 years of ministry, God called Dawson home. At the age of 74, he completed the work that God had for him here on earth. However, his legacy lives on as millions of students and young adults continue to be impacted by TheHopeLine every year.

Dawson McAllister: A Legacy in Motion.

In the years since Dawson's passing, the ministry he founded continues to change lives through TheHopeLine. Check out this mini-documentary featuring the CEO of TheHopeLine, Tim Altman as he shares the story of Dawson's life and legacy.

Tired of The Problem?

Try the Solution.

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